Black Spider
Black Spider is a supervillain from the DC Comics universe and is an enemy of Batman. Five individuals have used the Black Spider persona. They are Eric Needham, Johnny LaMonica, Derrick Coe and two unnamed criminals. History Eric Needham Eric Needham was a small time criminal who was addicted to heroin. Desperate for money to buy more drugs, he robbed a liquor store and killed the owner, who turned out to be his father. After being arrested, he managed to quit out of remorse and decided to wage a war on drugs. Donning a costume, he became a self-styled vigilante and began killing those suspected of dealing illegal drugs. This soon brought him into conflict with Batman. Needham believed that the two should be allies and friends as he saw common purpose in their war against criminals. His murderous methods however continually put him at odds with the Dark Knight. It turned out hat Needham's paraphernalia and missions as the Black Spider were bankrolled by a man who, it turned out, was actually secretly involved with narcotics and wanted to take out the competition. Despite his professed desire to fight criminals, the Black Spider occasionally allied himself with costumed villains. Ostensibly, Black Spider's goal in this was to seek revenge against Batman, or at least, this is how he attempted to justify his actions in his own mind. Needham also faced King Faraday and Nightshade in a brief encounter. During his war, Needham's wife and son were killed by a drug lord who had discovered the Black Spider's identity. In rage, the Spider prepared for one final assault. After being shot multiple times, Needham invaded the drug lord's headquarters and detonated explosives strapped to his back, killing the drug dealers in the process. Eric Needham later turned up dating Lyta Hall in The Sandman. No explanation was given for his resurrection. Whatever the case, Needham's survival has since been confirmed and has reappeared as the Black Spider, such as in the miniseries Underworld Unleashed. Needham later became an ally of Deadshot, Monocle, and Merlyn during the Identity Crisis. He is later a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains. Black Spider appears as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six for Junior. ''The New 52'' Eric appears as a member of the Suicide Squad, though he resents being forced to work with criminals despite being one himself. Despite his holier-than-thou attitude towards much of the team, he does not view himself as a hero, just as a man who kills criminals, even willing to smother them in their hospital beds. He is also slightly overconfident of his abilities, getting himself injured multiple times while assuming he could easily defeat several armed opponents. Amanda Waller eventually offers him an opportunity to quit the team, stating that he is not a monster like the others. Eric declines, stating that he "needs" the team after losing his family. However, this turns out to be a ploy, as Needham was actually a double agent working for Regulus of the terrorist group Basilisk. A double of Black Spider had accompanied the team to Basilisk's hideout, only to be shot by Deadshot, who realized it wasn't the true Spider because he would've dodged the bullet. The real Black Spider had invaded Amanda Waller's grandmother's home in order to kill both of them. However, he underestimates the cunning of both the senior Waller and the younger Waller, and is defeated. He was then locked away in maximum security at Belle Reve. Johnny LaMonica Professional hitman Johnny LaMonica takes the name "Black Spider" when he is sent to kill the crime lord Black Mask. He is thwarted by Batman and sent to prison. He sustains injuries during this incident that leaves his face a disfigured web of scars, giving his choice of codename an ironic touch. He is later killed by Detective Crispus Allen (Spectre) during a gang shooting. Black Spider had opened fire on Detective Renee Montoya, preparing to kill her, when Allen unloaded his magazine on the villain. Jim Corrigan sold the bullet that killed Black Spider on the internet. Derrick Coe A third Black Spider appears shortly after as a member of the Society. Other Society members reported that he was presumed dead. Real name Derrick Coe, he apparently bought his "villain franchise" from the Calculator, who assigns him to help torture Savant into revealing the identity of Oracle. When Oracle sends in her task force, the Birds of Prey, to rescue Savant, Savant throws Coe out a window, nearly killing him — Black Canary speculates that he may be a metahuman, allowing him to survive the experience. He was also seen in Gotham during the "Battle for the Cowl", fighting and losing to Manhunter. Coe later resurfaces as a member of the new Injustice League and one of the exiled supervillains in Salvation Run. Council of Spiders Black Spider was a member of the group of assassins known as the Council of Spiders. Black Spider came into conflict with Red Robin and was defeated. ''DC Rebirth'' Black Spider appears in DC Rebirth, a reboot of the DC Universe. He is one of the many villains that attempts to kill Batman for Two-Face's bounty. This version has two cybernetic claws on his back and utilizes a machine gun. Batman defeats him and cuts the claws off with a chainsaw. His real name is not revealed. Alternate Versions Bulletman One of Bulletman's enemies was named Black Spider. This version was a criminal deported and locked in a dungeon where he went blind and insane. The criminal managed to befriend the large spiders that lived there. Dubbing himself Black Spider he went back to the U.S. to take vengeance on those who deported him. However Bulletman and Bulletgirl saved Black Spider's captives and killed the villain. In Other Media Television *Black Spider appears in Young Justice voiced by Josh Keaton. He is a member of the League of Shadows. This version of the character can project a sticky "web" to incapacitate foes. In "Infiltrator," Black Spider, Cheshire and Hook are sent to defeat the Young Justice team and assassinate Dr. Serling Roquette. He was knocked out by Kid Flash. According to Greg Weisman, Black Spider escaped from the prison transport before it could reach Belle Reve. He re-appeared later in "Insecurity" where he tried to assassinate a reporter named Bernell Jones only to be thwarted by Green Arrow and Artemis. Film *Black Spider appears in the animated movie Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. He is one of the many supervillains trying to collect the bounty on Superman. *The Eric Needham version of Black Spider appears in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced by Giancarlo Esposito. He appears as a member of the Suicide Squad, along with Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Killer Frost and King Shark. Like every other member of the Squad, he is given the task by Amanda Waller to retrieve a memory stick hidden in the Riddler's cane and also has a small bomb implanted in his neck. During the infiltration of Arkham Asylum, Black Spider disguises himself as a chef whom he kills. Later, he and the rest of the Squad fight Batman, who later defeats Black Spider and switches costumes with him, in order to infiltrate the Suicide Squad without their knowledge. He is last seen walking weakly until the Joker (mistaking him for Batman at first) ambushes and attempts to murder him, only for Waller to do so by triggering the bombs, which kills only Black Spider and King Shark, since the others had had theirs deactivated by the Riddler. Video games *Black Spider was mentioned in Batman: Arkham Origins. He is mentioned in a file folder at the Sionis Steel Mill with a red "Rejected" stamp on it implying that Joker (who was posing as Black Mask at the time) considered hiring him to assassinate Batman, but decided against it just like he decided against hiring Cheshire and David Cain to assassinate Batman. Miscellaneous *The Eric Needham version of Black Spider appears as a member of the Black Mask's gang in Batman Adventures #5-8. *Black Spider appeared in the comic book spin-off of Young Justice. In issue #3, he was sent with Hook to assassinate Farano Enterprises CEO Selena Gonzales. Black Spider and Hook ran into Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash (who were protecting her at the time) where Black Spider tied them up in his webs. In issue #4, Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash broke free and defeated Black Spider and Hook. Gallery Images Black Spider.jpg Detective_Comics_463-1stCalc-BlkSpdr.jpg|Black Spider's (Eric Needham) First Appearance in Detective Comics #463 (Sept. 1976) Black_Spider_0003.jpg|First Black Spider (Eric Needham New Earth) Black-spider7.jpg|First Black Spider (Eric Needham Prime Earth) Johnny_LaMonica_0001.jpg|Second Black Spider (Johnny LaMonica New Earth) Black Spider II.png|Second Black Spider (Johnny LaMonica New Earth) versus Batman Derrick_Coe_01.jpg|Third Black Spider (Derrick Coe New Earth) Black_Spider_IV_01.jpg|Fourth Black Spider (New Earth) Black Spider V.png|Fifth Black Spider (DC Rebirth) All-Star-Batman-1-DC-Comics-Rebirth-Spoilers-3.jpg|Fifth Black Spider versus Batman (DC Rebirth) Black_Spider Young Justice.png|Black Spider in Young Justice Black Spider Batman and Superman Public Enemies.png|Black Spider in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Black Spider Assault on Arkham.png|Black Spider in ''Batman: Assault on Arkham '' (Eric Needham version) Videos Batman Assault on Arkham - Suicide Squad Task Force X Intro Black Spider 'Kills' Batman Joker Kills Batman I Batman Assault On Arkham I 2014 HD Superman Batman Public Enemies Part 4-0 Young Justice Kid Flash Vs Black Spider Fight Scene Josh Keaton(Voice Of Spectacular Spider-Man) Featured In Young Justice Category:DC Villains Category:Batman Villains Category:Comic Book Villains Category:Redeemed Category:Murderer Category:Spouses Category:Assassins Category:Tragic Category:Vigilante Category:Traitor Category:Criminals Category:Supervillains Category:Mentally Ill Category:Male Category:Arrogant Category:Legacy Category:Type Dependent on Version Category:Status Dependent on Version Category:Deceased Category:Imprisoned Category:Psychopath Category:Hypocrites Category:Young Justice Villains Category:Cartoon Villains Category:TV Show Villains Category:Movie Villains Category:Addicts Category:Kidnapper Category:Mercenaries Category:Stalkers